eugena's review of Anne Trenning, Watching For Rain

Anne Trenning is an instrumental pianist who has been tossed into the new age music genre because there really is no other place to put her. But instead of solo piano (the long line following in George Winston ' s footsteps the past three decades) or piano with synth backing or even piano with other instruments, Trenning manages to sound different. Most of her material features her acoustic piano with light, gentle, delicate acoustic instrumentation with her (flute, violin, cello, some sort of woodwind, etc.). But many of the tunes don ' t

have that standard new age sound. The first piece ( ' The Ash Grove ') sounds like something out of the Renaissance period. ' Eden Hall ' will make all the Irish lasses and laddies want to get up and dance. ' The welcome Song ' would work as an introductory piece at a wedding. ' Carolina Moon ' conjures up a bard dance 150 to 200 years ago. Ever sat in a Wednesday night church service where the music is provided by a pianist, organist, bassist and drummer just gently jamming to a hymn while everyone is walking in? That is exactly what ' Dancing With You ' sounds like. Not your run-of-the-mill new age recording, is it? But give Ms. Trenning a try and you might be surprised that the variety is refreshing and the music fits different moods and occasions quite nicely.